Leak tester for heat exchangers



Aug. 8, 1950 J. R. PHARES LEAK TESTER FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS Filed Feb. 24, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Era-.2. I

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Snventor 6 5 Y attorneys.

Aug. 8, 1950 ,1. R. PHARES LEAK TESTER FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS Filed Feb. 24, 1947 ZSnnentor 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W mm mm A 5 Patented Aug. 8, 1950 OFFICEQ defectivejoints betweerrgsa; :-p1ura1-'ity.o'=-' andiia 'f CQOIJSIQJtiIIg- :t1'1b.e g efctiv tubes;-

' withis invention" isg to z' provid I .r v may be releasa bly connected to an open ende'd ousing; rfoin which; tube-bundle and tube sheet m3. Y odper aztingwithta H I a'ce'of theztubee sheti' andtha'ivings-m .opening exposing thev major:- poi'tion of the-tub sheeemr "'nspection;

AnOthBr0bjCt '-:to pro 'de' andeviceeofsgthiis a typeiwhi'chis adjustable fo mooperation valmous'typeseof heatexoha gersv-end whic v. 3.6 "ommodste-mmmm n lie-"distance qbtween; th exposed side 'faoes o e-v-tubeesheeti and thee ope'n' end: of the housing.-

type;which'iissimple dsigni nndyconwenient-to-- useeaandfiwhich euoi'd's gni -rquirementaqfor gex' r paiidible plugsfor tube-sheet bolt holes {filter blocks to cooperate with notches which may xbe present 'inthez periphery" of the tdbe shee H b ite'sta amiss typevwhichine eb-iitilizedratz thewmax test-pressure forwhich the heatiexchangem iside'si'gned;

Other bjiects and idvantdgesgwillieppean hereee' matte e raw-ings:

mine-1- is in x erspepti-ve'wiewz'of; a portionm deride-having an annulan sea iing means: 0

devicesare: commonly? 50 EQKTEJ ITEE 'FDB- HEATEXCH'ANGERS oration passing through' theiwdevice. e' In .the constructionc ofesuch heat exchangers, a tube :bundle,generally;

designated-l 0, includes ea: large numbers of. indie vidualatu'bes II, which extend axiall through-the andt13 of theydrawingsga but: itris' to be :understood mhait the housing 125: is substantially: filledmyw: The; ends of thr a zlairgeanumbercfiof: such tubes: tIIbQSiZ! l-- a-recshown at; 513,111 Figure mahzexpansion and contraction:

n numeralrfl l, and the individuatholes-fornrecepe; Am-m b t oyidei ardeviee of thisemttiensofatheztubest ll are designated 45. A fairly tight'rfit't'is' formedibetween each tube l-H and its"- hoie xl5;i;and inz order toinsure that leakage-shall 3 notaroccursalong-the"ijoint, each tube II is ex panded within its-respective hole 15 by means of anyaone ofea number 'oftube expanders commerci er-11yavailableand well known in the art; The;

purpose oftheteste device embodying my inven i tion is to te'st; 'ssimu1taneou-s1y, all "of the joints between thetubes I I) and thetube sheet holes' l5,':

as well r as' to 1ocateany-1eak tubes:

' rt gtgdevm w imord'e'r 'to' locate: any defective joint or 'joints,-

"Ihev-hou sing=a=l2 is provided 'withian end flange- I52 having. a ap1ura1ity ;=of apertures l 1 formed therethroughi" Norma11y,'-this flange I6 and see ;,ries 0f" apertures cooperates with another flainge one body covergnot shown', for closing the open: end 8 "of the housing 1 z; The tube lbundle {1 o' ordinarily projects from the open-end- =o;f= ft hef housing 512 and the-"tube sheet is positioned aw wuneexwe end of the tube bu dle ms The] ex- Y posed side face 19 of-=th"e tube sheet 14; may vary sdmewhat inposition withrespectt'o' the open end I 8 bf="th 'e"housing l 2, depending on the particular des'ign of the heat exch-angerg Furthermore; the tube" sheet "1 4 may be provided with openings? 20;

tube sheet l4. Furthermore; the tube sheet; ;'on-" somedesigns; may .be notched at intervals around the'periphery thereof for cooperation with'jflow';

directing: bafli's or plates; not shown.

Provision of the openings-213 of the peripheralnotches,- not shown; make'it diificult' to estab design:-inivwhichiheatds' added or taken ef-rommuideMz lish Ea; seal-mg:connection witlrfthei. periphery ofr-i radially inwardly of the ring 2|.

.the bore 26.

2| is provided'on the exposed side face IQ of the tube sheet [4, which is relatively large in diameter, so that all of the openings I5 are positioned The ring 2| is mounted in a recess 22 provided on a radially extending flange 23 carried on a sleeve member generally designated .24. the flange 23 is a cylindrical projection 25, which encircles the tube sheet M and which is received in sliding relation within a bore '26, formed axially in the body member, generally designated 21. The body member may be releasably connected to the end flange IS on the housing l2 by means of the hook bolts 28, which extend through the apertures H, which are provided with cooperating nuts 29. A seal ring 30 is provided between the body member 2'! and the end flange l5 and is adapted to be compressed into sealing relationship by means of the bolts 28 and nuts 29.

Means are provided for establishing a fluidtight connection between the annular projection 25 on'the member 24 and the cylindrical bore 26 of the member 21. As shown in the drawings, this means includes an annular recess 3| formed in the member 21 and adapted to receive a compressible sealing ring 32 and a metallic follower ring 33. A plurality of crowder bolts 35 are threaded through a portion of the member 24 and each is provided with a contacting portion 34 adapted to engage the metallic follower ring 33. A series of studs 36 are mounted in the body member 2'! and project axially therefrom through holes 31 provided in the sleeve member 24. Nuts 38, which are mounted on the studs 36, provide means whereby the sealing ring 2! may be placed under compression between the tube sheet M and the flange 23.

The seal ring is placed in position on the body member 21 and the latter is then moved adjacent the open end I8 of the housing l2. Hook bolts .28, which engage over a flange 39 on the body member 21, serve to hold the body member 21 and flange 16 in alignment and to r clamp the seal ring 30 therebetween. The seal ring 32 is then placed in position within the recess 3! and the metallic follower ring33 is placed in position behind the seal ring 32. The sleeve member 24 is then moved axially into place, aligning the holes 3'! over the axially projecting studs 36. The projection 25 extends within the bore 26. The seal ring 2|, carried on the flange 23 of the sleeve member 24, is received in an annular groove 40 positioned on the exposed side face 19 of the floatinghead tube sheet and the tube sheet 14. The seal ring 32 is then expanded into sealing relation to establish a fluid-tight joint between the projection 25 and,

This is accomplished by threading the crowder bolts 35 through the sleeve member 24.

The interior of the housing is then subjectedto fluid pressure and this may be accomplished by admitting water or other fluid under pressure through the inlet fitting 4|. For some types of service, it has been found desirable to inject a gas for testing purposes. The various parts of Nuts 38 are then threaded on the bolts 36 toclamp the seal ring 2| [between the flange 23 Formedintegrally with 4 the test device embodying my invention are designed with sufiicient strength to permit the test to be carried out at the full test pressure for which the heat exchanger is rated. Any defective joints between the tubes H and the tube sheet I4 will permit water (or gas) to leak from the interior of the housing and pass outwardly to the exposed surface l9 through the defective joint. Since the major'portion of theend surface is is exposed for inspection through the center opening 42, in the flange 23, the location of the defective joint or joints is readily located by visual inspection if water "is used, or by other known methods if a gas is used. Thus, as shown in'Fig-ure l, leakage occurring around any one of the ends l3 of the individual tubes ll indicates a defective joint. Fluid escaping from the end of any particular tube shows that there is a leak in the wall of that tube, Defective tubes may then be replaced or plugged and defective joints may be expanded into a tighterfitjvvith the particular hole through the tube sheet-1M, without,

removing the test device.

Having fully described my invention, .it isto be understood that lv do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims;

I claim:

be removably secured to an open end of the housing, the bodymember having an axial bore,;- a sleeve member mounted; for axial movement relative to the body member and provided with;

an annular projection slidably received within the bore, and means for establishing a sealed' connection between the sleeve member and the tube sheet, and separate packing means encir' cling the projection for establishing a fluidtight joint between the sleeve member and the body member.

2. Ina device for pressure testing the tubes of a heat exchanger and for locating defective joints :between the tubes and a tube sheet, the tubes being positioned within a housing, the combinas tion of: an annular body member adapted to vbe i removably secured to an open end ofthe housing, a sleeve member mounted forzaxial telescopic movement within the body-member and provided with an annular flange extending radially in-' wardly, means for establishing a sealed connection between said flange and an exposedaside face of the tube sheet, said means including 00- operating parts on the body member and sleeve member for moving the sleeve member axiallytoward the tube sheet, and means for establishing a fluid-tight joint between the sleeve member and the body member.

3. In a device for pressure testing the tubesofa heat exchanger and for locating: defective joints between the tubes and a tube sheet, the tubes being positioned within a housing, theicombination of: an annular body member adapted to be removably secured to an open end of the housing,

said body member having 'a cylindrical bore,-a sleeve member mounted for axial movement with; insaid bore relative to the body member and provided with an annular flange extending radially inwardly, means for establishing :a sealed, connection between said flange and an 'exposed& sideiface of the tube sheet, said' means including cooperating parts on the bodymember and'sleevev member for moving the sleeve member axially toward the tube sheet, and means for establishing a fluid-tight joint between the sleeve member and the body member independently of their relative axial positions.

4. In a device for pressure testing the tubes of a heat exchanger and for locating defective joints between the tubes and a tube sheet, the tubes and tube sheet projecting from the open end of a housing, the combination of an annular body member adapted to be removably secured to the housing, a sleeve member mounted for axial movement relative to the body member and having an annular axially-extending projection encircling the tube sheet, an annular flange extending radially inwardly from the projection to encompass an annular portion of the tube sheet, means to provide a sealed connection between the annular flange and an exposed side face of the tube sheet, and means for establishing a fluid-tight joint between the sleeve projection and the body member.

5. In a device for pressure testing the tubes of a heat exchanger and for locating defective joints between the tubes and a tube sheet, the tubes and tube sheet projecting from the open end of a, housing, the combination of: an annular body'member adapted to be removably secured to the housing, a sleeve member mounted for axial movement relative to the body member and hav ing an annular axially-extending projection encircling the tube sheet, an annular flange extending radially inwardly from the projection to encompass an annular portion of the tube sheet, means to provide a sealed connection between the annular flange and an exposed side face of the tube sheet, the major portion of the exposed side face of the tube sheet being exposed for inspection through the opening in said annular flange, packing means encircling the sleeve projection for establishing a. fluid-tight joint between the sleeve projection and the body member, and means including a movable element on the sleeve member for expanding the packing means.

6. In a device for pressure testing the tubes of a heat exchanger and for locating defective joints between the tubes and a tube sheet, the tubes and tube sheet projecting from the open end of a housing, the combination of: an annular body member adapted to be removably secured to the housing, a sleeve member mounted for axial movement relative to the body member, annular sealing means adapted to form a fluidtight connection between said members independently of their relative axial position, an annular flange on the sleeve member extending radially inwardly to encompass an annular portion of the tube sheet, sealing means interposed between the annular flange and an exposed side face of the tube sheet, the major portion of the exposed side face of the tube sheet being exposed for inspection through the opening in said annular flange.

JAMES R. PHARES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 546,298 Brice Sept, 17, 1895 1,596,394 Braun Aug. 17, 1926 2,181,704 McNeal Nov. 28, 1939 

